The Fruit Garden

Laluan kecil
Japanese rose

The Fruit Garden

The path runs straight between the flowering rows

A moonlit path, hemmed in by beds of bloom

Where phlox and marigolds dispute for room

With tall, red dahlias and briar rose.

'T is reckless prodigality which throws

into the night these wafts of rich perfume

Which sweeps across the garden like a plume

Over the trees a single bright star glows.

Dear garden of my childhood, here my years

Have run away like little grains of sand

The moments of my life, its hopes and fears

Have all found utterance here, where now I stand.

My eyes ache with the weight of unshed tears

You are my home, do you not understand?

(A Lowell)

Dua gambar diambil di nursery bunga. Gambar atas, bunga berwarna pink, putih dan purple diatur berderet di kiri jalan menuju ke kawasan menjual pasu dan pokok-pokok berdaun hijau. Hujung jalan di hadapan nampak cerah disebabkan sinar matahari manakala bunga ini masih terlindung.

Bunga lavenderkah ini? Bukan.....sebab aku percaya bentuk bunga lavender yang betul ada di atas meja Cik Minah walaupun ia hanya kuntum-kuntum bunga plastik.

Gambar bawah, bunga ni namanya bukan sahaja bunga pukul lima atau alif-alif tapi disebut juga Japanese rose. Dulu-dulu di kampung cuma ada warna pink dan daunnya pun tirus macam huruf alif. Cuma sekarang ada bermacam warna, saiz bunga lebih besar dan daun lebar sedikit.

Kalau aku ke nursery bunga jarang aku tak ambil gambar bunga ni, menarik perhatian meskipun pokoknya melata dan rapat ke tanah.